Method and apparatus for restraining an occupant during a side impact
First Claim
1. An apparatus for restraining an occupant of a vehicle during a side impact of the vehicle with an object, said apparatus comprising:
- deployable restraining means mounted to be operative between the occupant and a side assembly of the vehicle adjacent the occupant, said side assembly having an outside panel and an inside panel spaced from said outside panel;
an accelerometer for measuring sideways vehicle acceleration, said accelerometer being mounted to the inside panel of said side assembly, said accelerometer providing an output signal having a value functionally related to the sideways acceleration of the vehicle;
means for monitoring said output signal of said accelerometer;
means for determining a vehicle velocity value in a sideways direction from said monitored output signal of said accelerometer; and
means for deploying said restraining means if said determined velocity value is indicative of the occurrence of a deployment crash condition.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus (10) for restraining an occupant during a side impact of a vehicle with an object includes an air bag (20) mounted in a vehicle door (22) adjacent to the occupant. The door (22) includes an outside panel (26) and an inside panel (28) spaced from the outside panel (26). An accelerometer (50) for measuring sideways acceleration of the vehicle is mounted to the inside panel (28) of the door (22). The output signal of the accelerometer has a value functionally related to the acceleration of the vehicle in a direction substantially perpendicular to the side of the vehicle. A controller (54, 56, 62, 66) determines the sideways velocity from the accelerometer output signal and deploys the air bag (20) if the velocity exceeds a predetermined value within a predetermined time period. Reinforcement members (310, 312, 314) enhance communication of the sideways acceleration to the accelerometer.
39 Citations
24 Claims
-
1. An apparatus for restraining an occupant of a vehicle during a side impact of the vehicle with an object, said apparatus comprising:
-
deployable restraining means mounted to be operative between the occupant and a side assembly of the vehicle adjacent the occupant, said side assembly having an outside panel and an inside panel spaced from said outside panel; an accelerometer for measuring sideways vehicle acceleration, said accelerometer being mounted to the inside panel of said side assembly, said accelerometer providing an output signal having a value functionally related to the sideways acceleration of the vehicle; means for monitoring said output signal of said accelerometer; means for determining a vehicle velocity value in a sideways direction from said monitored output signal of said accelerometer; and means for deploying said restraining means if said determined velocity value is indicative of the occurrence of a deployment crash condition. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
-
-
8. An apparatus for restraining an occupant of a vehicle during a side impact of the vehicle with an object, said apparatus comprising:
-
an air bag mounted to inflate between a door and the occupant, said door having an outside panel and an inside panel spaced from said outside panel; an accelerometer for measuring sideways vehicle acceleration, said accelerometer being mounted to the inside panel of said door at a lower, rearwardmost quarter portion of said door, said accelerometer providing an output signal having a value indicative of whether the vehicle is in a deployment crash condition; means for monitoring said output signal from said accelerometer; means for determining a vehicle velocity value in a sideways direction from said monitored output signal of said accelerometer; and means for deploying said air bag if said determined velocity value is indicative of the occurrence of a deployment crash condition. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11)
-
-
12. A method of restraining an occupant of a vehicle during a side impact of the vehicle with an object, said method comprising the steps of:
-
mounting a deployable restraining means to be operative between the occupant and a side assembly of the vehicle adjacent the occupant, said side assembly having an outside panel and an inside panel spaced from said outside panel; mounting an accelerometer to the inside panel of said side assembly, said accelerometer providing an output signal having a value functionally related to the acceleration of the vehicle in a direction substantially perpendicular to the side of the vehicle; monitoring said output signal of said accelerometer; determining sideways velocity of the vehicle from the monitored accelerometer output signal; and deploying said restraining means if said determined sideways velocity is indicative of the occurrence of a deployment crash condition. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
-
-
19. An apparatus for restraining an occupant of a vehicle during a side impact of the vehicle with an object, said apparatus comprising:
-
deployable restraining means mounted to be operative between the occupant and a side assembly of the vehicle adjacent the occupant, said side assembly having an outside panel and an inside panel spaced from said outside panel, said inside panel having a recessed pocket; an accelerometer for measuring sideways vehicle acceleration, said accelerometer being mounted in said recessed pocket of the inside panel of said side assembly, said accelerometer providing an output signal having a value functionally related to the sideways acceleration of the vehicle; means for monitoring said output signal of said accelerometer; means for determining a vehicle velocity value in a sideways direction from said monitored output signal of said accelerometer; and means for deploying said restraining means if said determined velocity value is indicative of the occurrence of a deployment crash condition.
-
-
20. An apparatus for restraining an occupant of a vehicle during a side impact of the vehicle with an object, said apparatus comprising:
-
an accelerometer for measuring sideways vehicle acceleration and providing an output signal having a value functionally related to the sideways acceleration of the vehicle; deployable restraining means mounted to be operative between the occupant and a side assembly of the vehicle adjacent the occupant, said side assembly having an outside panel and an inside panel spaced from said outside panel, said accelerometer being mounted to said inside panel, said inside panel including reinforcement means for enhancing communication of sideways acceleration of said vehicle to said accelerometer, said accelerometer; means for monitoring said output signal of said accelerometer; means for determining a vehicle velocity value in a sideways direction from said monitored output signal of said accelerometer; and means for deploying said restraining means if said determined velocity value is indicative of the occurrence of a deployment crash condition.
-
-
21. An apparatus for restraining an occupant of a vehicle during a side impact of the vehicle with an object, said apparatus comprising:
-
an air bag mounted to inflate between a door and the occupant, said door having an outside panel and an inside panel spaced from said outside panel, said inside panel having a recessed pocket; an accelerometer for measuring sideways vehicle acceleration, said accelerometer being mounted in said recessed pocket of said inside panel of said door at a lower, rearwardmost quarter portion of said door, said accelerometer providing an output signal having a value indicative of whether the vehicle is in a deployment crash condition; means for monitoring said output signal from said accelerometer; means for determining a vehicle velocity value in a sideways direction from said monitored output signal of said accelerometer; and means for deploying said air bag if said determined velocity value is indicative of the occurrence of a deployment crash condition.
-
-
22. An apparatus for restraining an occupant of a vehicle during a side impact of the vehicle with an object, said apparatus comprising:
-
an accelerometer for measuring sideways vehicle acceleration and providing an output signal having a value indicative of whether the vehicle is in a deployment crash condition; an air bag mounted to inflate between a door and the occupant, said door having an outside panel and an inside panel spaced from said outside panel, said accelerometer being mounted to the inside panel of said door at a lower, rearwardmost quarter portion of said door, said inside panel including reinforcement means for enhancing communication of sideways acceleration of said vehicle to said accelerometer; means for monitoring said output signal from said accelerometer; means for determining a vehicle velocity value in a sideways direction from said monitored output signal of said accelerometer; and means for deploying said air bag if said determined velocity value is indicative of the occurrence of a deployment crash condition.
-
-
23. A method of restraining an occupant of a vehicle during a side impact of the vehicle with an object, said method comprising the steps of:
-
mounting a deployable restraining means to be operative between the occupant and a side assembly of the vehicle adjacent the occupant, said side assembly having an outside panel and an inside panel spaced from said outside panel; providing a recessed pocket in said inside panel; mounting an accelerometer in the recessed pocket of the inside panel of said side assembly, said accelerometer providing an output signal having a value functionally related to the acceleration of the vehicle in a direction substantially perpendicular to the side of the vehicle; monitoring said output signal of said accelerometer; determining sideways velocity of the vehicle from the monitored accelerometer output signal; and deploying said restraining means if said determined sideways velocity is indicative of the occurrence of a deployment crash condition.
-
-
24. A method of restraining an occupant of a vehicle during a side impact of the vehicle with an object, said method comprising the steps of:
-
mounting a deployable restraining means to be operative between the occupant and a side assembly of the vehicle adjacent the occupant, said side assembly having an outside panel and an inside panel spaced from said outside panel; mounting an accelerometer to the inside panel of said side assembly, said accelerometer providing an output signal having a value functionally related to the acceleration of the vehicle in a direction substantially perpendicular to the side of the vehicle; reinforcing said inside panel of said side assembly to enhance communication of sideways acceleration of said vehicle to said accelerometer; monitoring said output signal of said accelerometer; determining sideways velocity of the vehicle from the monitored accelerometer output signal; and deploying said restraining means if said determined sideways velocity is indicative of the occurrence of a deployment crash condition.
-
Specification